My wife and I just caught “Sweet Genius” on cable TV just a few minutes ago, and suffice it to say that it was quite the experience.
The premise of “Sweet Genius” is simple: four chefs skilled in the sweet arts (pastry & sweets, basically) compete for a US$10,000 prize, based on creativity and taste of the sweet treats they whip up (see what I did there?). Hosted by pastry chef Ron Ben-Israel, they participate in three rounds with mystery ingredients – including one introduced a short time before the conclusion of the match – and time limits.
The episode we watched was particularly entertaining: mystery ingredients included marrow bones, frozen waffles, and rambutan! It was quite a thrill watching how the chefs would incorporate the new ingredients into a recipe that had otherwise been cut and dried and ready to go. Host Ron was biting and sardonic; the challenges were indeed challenging and the results varied, which is great because I wouldn’t mind seeing an imperfect dessert. At least they’re human. lolz
Overall, you can bet Caths and I will continue to watch “Sweet Genius!” What entertainment!